It’s time to get your entries in for this year’s Best Village competition.

Competition organiser and main sponsor, Magna Housing, launched the competition on Valentine’s Day and encourages everyone to take part and celebrate our villages and local communities across Dorset.

Selina White, chief executive at Magna Housing, said: “We are at the heart of our local communities and committed to creating great places where people choose to live. This competition is a great way to bring communities together and help villages celebrate their achievements and assets. We are delighted to continue to support this fantastic competition and give everyone a chance to promote their village, their local community and their people.”

Categories remain the same as in previous years, with more than £2,000 in prize money that will be given away to the category winners. In addition to best village, people can enter a great environmental initiative, the best shop and community and heritage programmes

Additional sponsorship comes from a number of organisations including the Blackmore Vale Magazine, the Dorset Magazine, the Dorset Echo, the Dorset Waste Partnership and the Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Rita Burden, a volunteer and one of the competition judges, has been part of the event for over 30 years and in recent years has been co-ordinating the completion herself. She said: “We are always delighted to receive entries from our faithful followers, but I would like to encourage those village communities who have never entered, to come and join in with this exciting competition and show their love for their village.”

The competition is open to all villages in Dorset. Full information and the entry form can be found on Magna’s website at magna.org.uk

The deadline for entries in the best kept village category is 17 April 2020. The deadline for all other categories is 26 June 2020. Judging will take place throughout May, June and July.